Cochise County staff outline flood-control projects, to advertise Coyote Wash construction July 1

Cochise County Flood Control District staff reviewed a package of planned projects and studies at a June 10 work session of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, saying the district will advertise the Coyote Wash construction contract on July 1 and is pursuing multiple grant-funded watershed studies and property acquisitions for future recharge work. The board took no formal votes during the staff briefing.

The work session focused on projects intended to reduce roadway flooding and increase groundwater recharge across the county. "The top thing that we do have is we regulate development in flood prone areas," said Ms. Watkins of the county's Engineering and Natural Resources staff, describing operations that include floodplain permitting under state law, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) work, and the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) program administered through ADEQ. Watkins told the board the district maintains drainage channels (some with in-house crews, some by contractors) and monitors 21 alert gauges around the county.

Why it matters: staff said the projects target locations where flooding repeatedly impacts roads and residents, and many rely on outside grant funding and federal clearances. County officials repeatedly described the work as contingent on grants, permitting and technical studies rather than immediate construction paid wholly from district operating funds.

Coyote Wash and funding details Coyote Wash is the project the county expects to advertise for construction at the end of June. Watkins said the design is complete and the county has assembled grant funding from a REPI grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, a state grant described in the briefing, and $50,000 in Flood Control District funds. "We will advertise that project for construction end of this month, July 1," Watkins told the board. The project will divert low flows into an old gravel pit to increase infiltration; staff…